


Damian is a softy: Halloween edition

by PrincessMariana



Series: PM's Flufftober 2020 [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Age Swap, Alternate Universe, Batkids Age Reversal, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Cute, Damian Wayne Loves Dick Grayson, Fluff, Flufftober, Flufftober 2020, Gen, Halloween, No editting we die like Jason, or in this case Tim, reverse batfam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:06:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26853418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessMariana/pseuds/PrincessMariana
Summary: Halloween is Damian's least favorite holiday, but he'll do whatever it takes to make his baby brother happy. Jon is also there, just to make Damian blush. (Dick ships it.)Written for Flufftober 2020, Day 3: "But you said"
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Jonathan Kent/Damian Wayne
Series: PM's Flufftober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951447
Comments: 6
Kudos: 270
Collections: Flufftober2020





	Damian is a softy: Halloween edition

**Author's Note:**

> So this was supposed to be pure Dick and Damian, reverse!batfam brotherly fluff, and then Jon showed up and now it's a little gay. Not too much though. He just messed with my straightforward plot, so now this fic is more all over the place. Whoops. But I'm apparently committed to not editing an of my flufftober fics, so here's whatever I wrote at midnight, running only on pumpkin spice cheerios and hope.

“Well,” Jason said. “ _That_ was not what I was expecting when you said you wanted a favor.”

Tim, from his perch on Jason’s kitchen table, flipping and catching a knife, smirked. “You’ve grown soft, _Dami._ ”

“You’re not the only who can handle a knife,” Damian said coolly.

He resisted the urge the grasp the hilt of his sword, mostly because he wasn’t wearing it tonight. This was supposed to a peaceful meeting, but he should’ve known better when Tim Drake was involved.

“Seriously?” Jason said. He rolled his eyes. “Can’t you get along for five seconds? God, and to think I looked up to you two idiots as a kid.”

“You’re still a child,” Damian said.

“Yeah, Replacement,” Tim said. “You can’t even drink yet.”

“Then stop giving each other murder eyes in front of a kid,” Jason said. “I don’t want to explain to Batman why you two killed each other. He’ll find some way to blame _me_.”

Damian took a deep breath and released it slowly, reigning in his anger. Jason was, unfortunately, correct. This was not the time for a fight. Damian was here for a reason, and he had to put aside his…frustration. “Fine. Do we have a deal?”

“No,” Tim said. He put away his knife.

“No?” Damian repeated, incredulous. “You are refusing a no-questions-asked _favor_ from for this task? Even you, Drake, can see-”

“I don’t want your shitty, no-questions-asked-but-no-murder-allowed favor, asshole,” Tim said. “We’ll do it but not for _you_.”

Jason raised his hand. “I’ll take that shitty favor.”

“Language,” Tim and Damian said in unison and then glared at each other.

“I grew up in the Narrows. I’m allowed to swear,” Jason muttered under his breath.

“You will on patrol regardless,” Damian said.

“Yeah, but I’ll be with _him_.” Jason jerked his thumb at Tim. “He’s worse than Bruce. He doesn’t let me have any _fun_.”

“Fun Robins become dead Robins,” Tim said.

Damian had heard that enough to not flinch, but it was a near thing.

“What _ever_ ,” Jason said, with all the irritation that came naturally to teenagers.

+++

“You want me – a _meta_ – to go into Gotham – where Batman doesn’t allow metas,” Jon said slowly.

“You’re an alien, not a meta,” Damian said, not for the first time.

“My mom would disagree,” Jon said. “And Batman doesn’t like aliens in his city anyways.”

“This is important,” Damian said. “My father will understand. I will _make_ him understand.”

“Okay,” Jon said. “But if I end up with kryptonite being waved in my face -”

“That was one time, and you were being possessed by an actual metahuman,” Damian said, again not for the first time.

Sometimes he wondered if he and Jon were doomed to repeat the same conversations over and over. Definitely Jon’s fault.

“It still haunts me,” Jon said in a grave voice, but his grin and sparkling eyes gave him away.

Damian ignored his rising blush. He had more important things to think about than Jon’s ridiculous, unnaturally blue eyes. “On the condition that neither my father nor any other member of my family – Drake unfortunately included – will harm you, do you agree?”

Jon laughed. “’Course I will! Even if your family _would_ come after me, there isn’t any mission I wouldn’t join you on.”

Damian couldn’t help his smile. “Thank you.”

_Steph and Cass_

“So you’ll do it?” Damian said, when it became apparent that Stephanie wouldn’t stop laughing anytime soon.

As the ultimate betrayal, even Cassandra was smiling in amusement. Damian scowled. As the oldest – Duke didn’t count, since he had a healthy relationship with his parents – Damian did not deserve such disrespect.

Stephanie’s laughter _finally_ dwindled, until she looked up to meet Damian’s eyes. Then, she was off, cackling like the hyena she truly was. Damian crossed his arms over his chest. “ _Brown_ ,” he growled.

“S-sorry,” she gasped, tears in her eyes. “I just – _you_. Oh. My. _God._ ”

Damian sighed and turned to Cassandra. “Will you agree to this on her behalf, sister?”

Cassandra’s smile turned more into a mischievous grin. Stephanie was such a bad influence. “Yes,” she said. “Take pictures.”

_“Yes!”_ Stephanie squealed, still laughing. 

“Thank you,” Damian said stiffly.

As he left, he could’ve sworn he heard Cass chuckle. _Traitor._

_Bruce_

“- and Batgirl and Spoiler will be on standby near Arkham, in case of a prison break. Red Robin will patrol with Robin. With my and Superboy’s additional assistance, you do not need to go out tonight,” Damian finished.

He kept his face stoic, hands locked behind his stiff back, as he waited for Bruce’s verdict. Bruce dark eyes revealed nothing for a long moment. “Batman can’t abandon Gotham on Halloween, and Superboy isn’t allowed in this city unless circumstances are absolutely dire,” he said finally.

“Father-”

“ _But_ ,” Bruce continued, “with all this backup, Gotham won’t need the Red Demon, and Jon Kent is always welcome here.”

“Oh.” Damian wasn’t sure how to respond to the unexpected compromise.

Bruce placed a comforting hand on Damian’s shoulder. Bruce had become more tactile after Dick had joined their family, since the child constantly demanded it. “You should go, before Dick escapes through his bedroom window.”

“He is on the fourth floor, Father,” Damian said skeptically.

“That never stopped you.”

Damian could’ve sworn he saw his father smile before turning back to the Batcomputer. Bruce had been far less amused by Damian’s attempt, Damian remembered clearly. Maybe Tim was onto something about younger siblings having it easier.

Damian took out his phone and texted Jon. _Slight change of plans._

+++

Dick stared out the window forlornly. The manor was isolated enough that there were no children around, but Dick could see them in his mind, dressed in costumes, eating lots and lots of candy, having _fun_ , which was something Dick apparently wasn’t allowed to have.

There was a sharp knock on his door. “Richard,” Damian said. “May I come in?”

“Yeah,” Dick said gloomily.

He hoisted himself on the windowsill’s ledge as Damian came in. Even the sight of his big brother couldn’t cheer Dick up.

Damian eyed in Dick in obvious suspicion. “I hope you aren’t thinking of climbing out the window.”

“Huh?” Dick glanced behind him. “I wasn’t going to – but you think I could? Would Bruce notice? He’s leaving, right? And Alfred-”

“No,” Damian said firmly. “You are not allowed to endanger yourself.”

“You sound like Bruce,” Dick said. “So are you here to make me go to bed before you leave too? It’s so dumb that I have a bedtime on _Halloween_.”

“Richard, pouting is not an acceptable reaction to disappoint,” Damian chided.

“’m sorry,” Dick said. “It just really sucks, y’know? All the kids at school get to go trick or treating except me. Halloween is the _best_ holiday, with lots and lots and _lots_ of candy, but Bruce says it’s not safe, just ‘cause something bad happened when Jason went that one time.”

“Richard-”

“I know, I know,” Dick continued. “I’m being ungrateful and-and mean and snotty, just like those rich kids at school, but-but-” Dick sniffled and looked up at Damian with wide, teary eyes.

Damian sat next to Dick on the ledge and pulled Dick into a one-armed hug. “While I do not understand your desire for copious amounts of unhealthy, sugary treats that will only keep you from the sleep that I child of your age needs, I-”

Heavy footsteps interrupted him, and Jon appeared in the doorway with a pile of neatly folded clothes in his hands. For some reason, he was wearing the Red Demon suit. “Hey! Are you ready to eat lots of candy and terrorize Gotham, Dick?” Then Jon took in the tearful scene. “…unless that’s no longer happening?”

“I was just about to inform him,” Damian said.

Dick looked between Jon and Damian as realization began to sink in. “You’re taking me treat or treating?” Dick asked, barely daring to hope. “But you said candy is dumb, and Bruce said I couldn’t leave the manor tonight.”

“I managed to change his mind, and Jon and I will protect you tonight,” Damian said.

Dick squealed in joy, bouncing to his feet and wrapping his arms around Damian’s neck. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You’re the best, most awesomest brother _ever._ ”

Damian awkwardly returned the hug. “There will be rules,” he said gruffly.

“You two better get changed now, so we don’t miss anything,” Jon said. “Alfred gave me these costumes.”

“I don’t need a costume,” Damian said firmly.

Dick gave his brother his best puppy-dog eyes. “C’mon, Dami. It’s Halloween! _Please?_ ”

“Yeah, Dami,” Jon said. “I’m in costume. You should be to!”

Damian gave Jon a dirty look. “Your outfit is a poor mimicry of my suit.”

Jon just grinned back. “Admit in – I make this look _good_.”

“Why’s your face all red.” Dick squinted at his brother and then glanced back at Jon. “ _Oh_.”

“Shut up, brat,” Damian muttered.

+++

Between Dick and Jon, Damian was somehow convinced to put on a costume. He helped Dick get into his while Jon waited in the parlor with Alfred.

Once dressed, Dick bounded down the stairs with Damian following him at a slower rate. “Isn’t this the best costume ever?” Dick said, twirling for Alfred and Jon.

Jon winked. “You look just like Damian when he was your age.”

Dick beamed. Damian did not understand why Dick chose to dress as Robin, of all things. Given Dick’s obsession with Superman and Robin Hood, there had to better options. But Damian supposed that, out of all the versions of the Robin costume, the original model – _Damian’s_ version – was the best. It had none of the gaudy colors that the current costume possessed.

(Even under the worst torture, Damian would never admit how adorable Dick looked with the hood and the boots and the cape. Surely Damian had looked more vicious when he’d worn it, all those years ago.)

“And _you_ ,” Jon said, his lips curling into a mischievous grin. “You look _good_ in my colors.”

“I look ridiculous,” Damian said.

He was dressed in Jon’s original costume – ripped jeans, worn Superman shirt, and that awful cape. Jon’s eyes sparkled in amusement and…something more. Something deep and warm that made the humiliation of dressing up almost worth it.

Dick clapped his hands together in delight. “Are you going to _kiss_?”

“Richard!” Damian snapped.

Dick shrugged and grabbed both Damian and Jon by the hand, tugging them to door. “Let’s go! I want _all_ the candy.”

“Lead the way, Robin!” Jon said.

Damian sighed but let himself be pulled out the door. Halloween was a ridiculous festival, but he couldn’t begrudge spending time with two of his favorite people.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Kudos and comments bring me happiness. :)


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